Fort Lewis welcomes back troops from Iraq for a final time

SCOTT SUND, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

By SCOTT SUNDE, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Updated 11:40 pm, Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Spc. Scott Cox gets a kiss from his wife Kamara as daugthers Aly, 2, and Emma, 3, hidden, greet their dad during a homecoming ceremony for the 62nd Medical Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday, December 6, 2011. The return of 170 Army troops from Iraq was the last large homecoming of troops from Iraq as U.S. military operations in that country are drawn down.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Spc. Scott Cox gets a kiss from his wife Kamara as daugthers Aly,...

Troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade exit an aircraft at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday, December 6, 2011. The return of 170 Army troops from Iraq was the last large homecoming of troops from Iraq as U.S. military operations in that country are drawn down.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade...

SSgt. Kelly Sawlsville of the 62nd Medical Brigade waits to turn in his weapon at Joint Base Lewis McChord.

Members of the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord prepare to turn in thier weapons on Tuesday. The return of 170 Army troops from Iraq was the last large homecoming of troops from Iraq as U.S. military operations in that country are drawn down.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Members of the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade at...

Lt. Jason Mitchell of the 17th Fires Brigade turns in his weapon at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Lt. Jason Mitchell of the 17th Fires Brigade turns in his weapon at...

A bag's tag shows where troops came from during a homecoming ceremony for the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

A bag's tag shows where troops came from during a homecoming...

Troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade exit an aircraft at Joint Base Lewis-McChord after they landed on Tuesday. The return of 170 Army troops from Iraq was the last large homecoming of troops from Iraq as U.S. military operations in that country are drawn down.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade...

Family and friends look for their loved ones during a homecoming ceremony for the 62nd Medical Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Family and friends look for their loved ones during a homecoming...

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade wait to be in-processed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires...

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade are welcomed back at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires...

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade wait to be in-processed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires...

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade fill out paperwork at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires...

Spc. Donisha Stroman calls her mother Sandra McCoy in Louisiana after Stroman returned with members of the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade at Joint Base Lewis McChord on Tuesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Spc. Donisha Stroman calls her mother Sandra McCoy in Louisiana...

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade are welcomed back at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires...

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade turn in their weapons at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires...

Kamara Cox, right, with daughters Emma, 3, and Aly, 2, looks for her husband, Spc. Scott Cox, during a homecoming ceremony for the 62nd Medical Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Kamara Cox, right, with daughters Emma, 3, and Aly, 2, looks for...

Troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade salute during a homecoming ceremony.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade salute during a homecoming...

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires Brigade wait to be in-processed.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

U.S. Army troops from the 62nd Medical Brigade and the 17th Fires...

SSgt. Michael Welsh sits with his wife Colleen, son Nolan, 1, and daughter Lilly during a homecoming ceremony for the 62nd Medical Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Sgt. Chris Galley kisses his son Jayden, 18 months-old during a homecoming ceremony for the 62nd Medical Brigade at Joint Base Lewi- McChord.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Sgt. Chris Galley kisses his son Jayden, 18 months-old during a...

Nolan Welsh, 1, chews on a patch from the uniform of his dad, SSgt. Michael Welsh after Nolan's dad returned from Iraq with the 62nd Medical Brigade to Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Tuesday, December 6, 2011. The return of 170 Army troops from Iraq was the last large homecoming of troops from Iraq as U.S. military operations in that country are drawn down.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Nolan Welsh, 1, chews on a patch from the uniform of his dad, SSgt....

More than eight years after Fort Lewis started shipping men and women out to the war in Iraq, the last large group of soldiers has returned from that country.

The 170 members of the 17th Fires Brigade and 62nd Medical Brigade, who arrived Tuesday at McChord Field, are a final chapter.

Since the war on terror began, there have been 1,114 deployments from Fort Lewis for such countries as Iraq and Afghanistan. That doesn't include two airlift wings at McChord, as well as special forces units at Fort Lewis.

The human cost: 200 soldiers and one airmen. They died in Iraq from combat, disease or accident, or later after being shipped out for treatment outside the country.

About 100 Fort Lewis soldiers remain in Iraq. Those soldiers will be returning on commercial flights.